Fatty Crab in the West Village (NYC)

As I started writing this post, I knew it had been a long time since I'd written, but I didn't know THIS much time had passed! Apparently the last time I posted was November 26! Wow. Time flies.

It's not that I haven't been eating-- oh, believe me, I've been eating some amazing meals in my new city-- but I've been so busy and way too overwhelmed to write :( And when not super busy and overwhelmed, I've been lying on the couch catching up on Jersey Shore and House. Clearly I have my priorities straight.

Anyway, I had a special request-- well, close to begging actually-- from one of my best friends in the whole world for me to write about our dinner, as he has never appeared on Dish This! before. So, drum roll please, please welcome Reginald Ambrose to Dish This!

This German resident and I went to college together in Boston, but his international abode means sadly we have not shared many (any?) meals in the past 3 years. In college, we shared quite a few-- 4 a.m. Hoy Hing Chinese delivery, staff meals at both restaurants we waited tables together at (one on Newbury Street, one in Brookline Village), tapas at Tasca in Brighton (when we were being fancy), flat bread pizzas from Angora in Brookline, and cookies off the floor of the Sheraton Hotel in Boston (don't ask).

Fast forward to a few weeks ago-- a FREEZING Saturday night, and our INCREDIBLE meal together at Fatty Crab in the West Village with Dish Bro.

Fatty Crab doesn't take reservations, so after many hours of drinks at WXOU nearby, we finally headed over around 10 pm. Luckily we only had to wait a couple minutes for a table, but it was still packed and rocking! Loud music blasting from the stereos, hipster waiters bustling about-- and an amazing smell wafting throughout. I was PSYCHED.

We started with drinks-- Reginald (ps the name refers to his late-night "alter ego" who used to entertain us with being an extra on the Jeffersons (don't ask) and dancing on tables) got the Recession Special ($10) which is a shot of whiskey, a shot of pickle juice, and a PBR Tallboy. Dish Bro drank some yummy white wine that I don't know the name of, but I did try it, and it was great. I went with a PBR tallboy-- class all the way here, folks.

Then we got some "snacks" for the table. The first was the "simplest" dish of the night but may be my favorite, for its unique flavor combination and creativity: green mango with chili -sugar-salt. This architectural beauty was addictive, and has haunted my dreams ever since. If I could only have some at my desk every day...

We also got the quail egg shooters-- another impressive display of presentation-- four teeny tiny eggs exploding with flavor. One spicy sriracha hot one, one with pork, one with the smallest little anchovy I've ever seen.

Our last snack was the vegetable steam buns (Reginald is newly a pescetarian).

My favorite part about Fatty Crab may be its unabashed, unapologetic usage of cilantro. There were mountains of cilantro everywhere! My idea of heaven. Also this guy's. Here was Reginald Ambrose's entree, a pescatarian's heaven (tons and tons of shellfish and seafood):

My entree was a preview from the Fatty Crab opening in Williamsburg that will be BBQ inspired-- smoked brisket with bao and herbed cilantro salad. This brisket was like tender, fat pieces of bacon. On a heavenly patty. With a delicious sauce. So it was disgusting, as you can imagine ;) [where's that new sarcasm font when I need it?]

Dish Bro got this insanely spicy Fatty Duck-- I really enjoyed sucking the fatty meat right off that glorious piece of duck (and this is coming from a person who only eats meat a few times a week). The heat was super intense, and my PBR just made it even hotter- awesome. God I love spicy food!

The aftermath after we attacked our food:

With the check, our waiter brought tiny pieces of mochi coconut cake. A heavenly end to a heavenly meal.

Fatty Crab left me feeling deliriously happy and energized (yet so full I felt close to exploding). This was EXACTLY Dish Gal's kinda place-- fun, delicious, and unique-- a place so good, it makes you feel high. Not that Reginald would know anything about that.

The Elephant Walk

I have a feeling—and this is just a wild conjecture—that I’m about 10 years too late for the peak of popularity for The Elephant Walk, the Cambodian/French restaurant with locations in Boston, Waltham, and North Cambridge. I’m guessing it was pretty darn trendy around the time when any sort of “fusion” cuisine was all the rage. In any case, I had never tried it, and it perpetually lingered on my “restaurants to try” list—until the day that Michelle took over for me as Restaurant Selector and picked it for a girl's night out with Skylar and Maeve. Perfecto!

The Elephant Walk’s décor, at least at the Boston location we were at, reminded me of one of those elegant restaurants you’d find in the middle of a random Vermont town. It was as if you had stepped into someone’s (really nice) living room.

I was first won over by my spicy martini—but you know me and spicy drinks… so I'm biased.But on to the important part: the food. The idea of the restaurant is that there are three categories you can choose from: Traditional Cambodian dishes, original Cambodian dishes (e.g. Elephant Walk original dishes), and original French dishes (also Elephant Walk original dishes, but French). We mixed it up and tried a bit of everything.

First we started with the vegetarian rouleaux (which was also vegan) - Cambodian spring rolls with shiitake mushroom, carrot, onion, bean sprout, peanut, and beanthread, served with fresh greens and vegetarian tuk trey. This was a traditional Cambodian dish. I really liked the sauce you dunked it in. Plus, the spring rolls were perfectly fried-- yum.

We also sampled the Crêpe de Canard aux Poires --you guessed it, an original French dish-- a savory crêpe filled with braised duck, pear, scallion, and crème fraîche. This sounds like the most delicious thing in the world, but it was kinda mushy and could've been executed better, IMHO.Next up, I pretty much forced everyone in to getting a tofu dish, so we tried the organic tofu amrita (also vegan) - "tofu, flash-fried and sautéed in a lightly sweet Cambodian satay sauce with coriander, cumin, cardamom, galangal, cinnamon, ginger, peanuts, star anis, and lemongrass; with button mushroom, onion, and scallions" (description straight from the menu).I really enjoyed this-- and wish I had known about its existence during my short period as a vegan. Finally, we also shared this original Cambodian dish--grilled pork tenderloin served with a caramelized sauce of black pepper, garlic, mushroom soy sauce and coconut milk. Despite my love of bacon, I really don't like pork all that much, but this sauce was so yummy I didn't really mind.Looking back, I enjoyed the Cambodian dishes the most. While The Elephant walk doesn't offer the most cutting edge cuisine, or the best meal you'll have in Boston, I'd still recommend The Elephant Walk for nights when you're craving Asian-- but don't feel like sitting in one of those empty restaurants, with the plastic tablecloths and the soft muzak, where you're thinking, "Why didn't I just take this home and sit on my couch?" You know you've been there... =)

Asian Chicken Meatballs

As I started to write this, I realize every recipe I post always has the same intro: [Insert recipe title here] is easy, fast, healthy, and delicious! This one is no different =) I guess one should assume reading a Dish Gal approved recipe that it's all of these things...

These meatballs were kind of a bizarre dinner choice, but really hit the spot! The original recipe suggested they be put in lettuce cups, but I enjoyed mine with my favorite dipping sauce -- spicy szechuan-- and some steamed sugar snap peas and brown rice. This also made for great leftovers for lunch the next day!

Dish Gal's Asian Chicken Meatballs
Serves 2

1/2 pound ground chicken

1 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (should substitute fresh, but I only had dried)

1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

1 teaspoon soy sauce
¼ cup cilantro leaves

1/2 tsp red hot pepper flakes (or more, depending on how much spice you like!)

Here are some of the ingredients all set to go:

First, I set about doing my prep work, chopping my garlic and the cilantro (not pictured).Next, in a large bowl, stir together ground chicken, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, vinegar, soy sauce, and crushed red hot pepper flakes. Form mixture into 12 meatballs. They will seem a little too wet, especially since they don’t contain any egg or breadcrumbs. BUT distress not, and continue on ;) Lightly coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat to medium-high. Add meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes.

This is my all time favorite stir fry sauce. It has a major kick to it, which I love, and a little goes a long way:

I also loves these microwaveable brown rice packs; they definitely cut down on the 50-minute brown rice cook times!

Finally, sprinkle the meatballs with your chopped cilantro, et voila! An easy, fast, healthy, and delicious meal ;)

Banh Mi at Pho Viet at Super 88

Soooo after months of craving one, I finally managed to get a banh mi from Pho Viet's in the Super 88 in Allston. For those unfamiliar with this super-trendy, Vietnamese sandwich, here's the Wikipedia definition of a banh mi: The sandwich is made up of thinly sliced pickled carrots and daikon, onions, cucumbers, cilantro, jalapeño peppers and meat or tofu. Popular bánh mì fillings include roasted or grilled pork, Vietnamese ham, paté, mayonnaise, chicken, and head cheese. Most Banh Mi sandwiches contain a Vietnamese mayonnaise-like spread that is a mixture of egg yolk, cooking oil/butter, and sometimes spices.I went with the tofu option. I gotta say though, after all this yearning, I wasn't that obsessed with it! I mean it was definitely yummy, and at only around $3 an amazing deal, but I think I had classic "too high expectations" let-down =(

I think I need to try another one. I dunno, something tasted bizarre, and it wasn't spicy at all, while I had hoped for some kick.

Hrmph. On a day like today (miserable and rainy in Boston), doesn't a bowl of steaming hot pho sound good, though!?

TGIF

I just got back from watching the Top Chef demo outside the Pru! My lord, was it hot outside. Nikki was so cute! Photos to come later...

In the meantime, some links to enjoy...

The United States of Sriracha Lists places all across the U.S. you can enjoy the amazing condiment sriracha (an Asian hot sauce with a cult-like following). For Massachusetts, Myers + Chang's banh mi makes the list. {New York Times}

Massachusetts set to unveil fast-food menu rules, which would require chain restaurants to list calories. {Reuters}

Making Love in the Kitchen. A food blog recommended by pal OmGal, filled with healthy tips and recipes.

8 new rules for ordering wine. The new way to enjoy wine at restaurants during these shaky, economic times. {New York Post}

First Bite: Boston Burger Company. Is it just me, or are burgers EVERYWHERE these days? Is it because summer's coming? Or is it because it's the only thing people can afford? Either way, it's making me hungry. {Boston magazine's blog "Chowder"}

California Dreaming..

I'm usually not a big fan of when bloggers recount their travels; ultimately, unless I'm planning on visiting the place soon, I don't want to read about all the places I'm NOT travelling. And then I get stressed, and surf fodors.com for awhile, brainstorming ways I could scrounge up the cash to visit Buenos Aires or Thailand.

In any case, I had such yummy food in California that I'm going to be a total hypocrite and share. Plus, Virgin America is doing some crazy sales these days! So maybe this will motivate you? ;)

My first morning in Santa Barbara, Ann and I headed to Shoreline, and enjoyed some breakfast burritos loaded with avocado. The best part about Shoreline? The tables are all directly on the beach, so as you eat you can wiggle your toes in the sand. Heaven.

Ann peruses the menu...

At night, we headed to chic sushi spot, Arigato, right on State Street, the main drag of Santa Barbara. It was a little pricey, but we did manage to try the magic mushroom maki stuffed with shittake, crimini, maitake, asparagus, and truffle oil, and the kobe beef sashimi. My favorite though was the fiesta maki, with tempura halibut, tomato, avocado, cilantro, and habanero sauce (top photo). Afterwards, we got Pinkberry!! I've been wanting to try this popular frozen yogurt chain for so long now, and it was everything I wanted and more. The fresh fruit, the tart yogurt, the inventive and playful mix-ins (I got cocoa crispies)-- looove it.In San Diego, we finally got to try the one, the only, In n Out burger. FINALLY!! We got our fries "animal style" (onions, cheese, and special sauce) and our burgers just regular. I immediately regretted not getting a double-double (what was I thinking!?) but it was amazing nonetheless. Though I think I still give the best burger crown to the #12 at Johnny Rocket's (am I alone here?). And, as others have said in the past, I wasn't the hugest fan of the fries here, even animal style.The next day we parked ourselves on the beach all day long, enjoying the San Diego sun (and wind) and flying kites. After the long day, we stopped at this Mexican place Roberto's, located right next to the beach. It was dirt cheap, but seemed awesomely authentic, and we loaded up our plates with baja fish tacos, enchiladas, Mexican rice, and refried beans. YUM.

Part II of California round-up to come... including Zaytoon, a Santa Barbara Middle Eastern restaurant with fire pits at each table where Ann's roommate made a love connection with our waiter, and Porto's, amazing Cuban food in Los Angeles.

Wagamama- Now Open in the Prudential!

Exciting news! Wagamama is now open in the Prudential Center. When I was in London, I adored this chain. I feel quite honored they chose Boston as their first American city. With locations already in Faneuil Hall and Harvard Square, Wagamama's move means lots of yummy noodles for those in the Back Bay.

Dish Gal's recommendations:

edamame w/ chili and garlic salt

chili beef ramen-- spicy soup w/ ramen noodles, sliced steak, fresh chilies, bean sprouts, cilantro, and lime

yasai chili men- whole wheat noodles in a lemongrass, chili sauce with stir-fried shiitake and button mushrooms, fried tofu, squash, peppers, and snow peas

Thanks for the photo and spotting this, Julia! =)

Thai "Tom Yum" soup recipe

I love love love Thai food. Can't get enough of it. And feeling slightly under the weather last night, I decided to attempt to make my favorite Thai soup: Tom Yum. But, with the cold weather, I could not bring myself to go to an Asian food specialty store to buy some of the more hard-to-find ingredients in traditional Tom Yum soup, like kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass. So I had to improvise-- eek! I was nervous it would not taste at all like the real thing, but it actually was awesome! Tasted just like my favorite Tom Yum from Pho & I. I made it with tofu, but you could also substitute chicken or shrimp.

"Tom Yum" soup

serves 2

4 cups chicken stock

1/2 package of extra firm tofu

2 tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla)

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (can substitute fresh, but I only had this)

1 large handful (around 1 1/2 cups) bean sprouts

2 heaping teaspoons sriracha (chili sauce) --this makes it medium spicy (for me)

1 tomato, cut into wedges

1 cup roughly chopped cilantro

1 lime, juiced

whole grain udon noodles

1 cup mushrooms, halved

1. In a small saucepan, boil water. Once boiling, add udon noodles, cook 10-12 minutes. Drain.

2. In a large saucepan, boil the chicken stock. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low and add fish sauce, lime juice, sriracha, ground ginger, and the mushrooms. Cook for 10 minutes. Then add the cilantro and the bean sprouts, and simmer for about 5 minutes.

3. Finally, toss in the cooked noodles and the tomatoes. Serve, and garnish with some additional cilantro.

Has a little kick to it-- clears those sinuses right up!

Healthy Recipe #2: Hoisin Glazed Salmon & Asian Slaw

Dish Gal has been cooking up a storm these past days! Lots of recipes coming your way...

I'll start with dinner on Saturday night-- Z and I made broiled salmon fillets with a hoisin & orange glaze, asian slaw, and brown rice. Usually, I think salmon is good for the first few bites, then leave half a fillet on my plate because I'm just not feeling it. However, this night I ate it all like my life depended on it. It was amazing, super easy, and healthy to boot. Here's how to make it:

Salmon with Orange Hoisin Glaze & Asian Slaw
Serves 2

salmon:
2 salmon fillets
1 tbsp OJ

2 tbsp hoisin sauce

2 tsp honey

slaw:
pre-packaged cole slaw mix OR 1/2 head of napa or red cabbage, chopped

1/2 yellow bell pepper, sliced thin

1 1/2 tsp white rice vinegar

1 tsp sesame oil

1/2 a lime, juiced

2 green onions, diced

1 tbsp cilantro, chopped

1. Pre-heat the broiler. In one bowl, whisk together the white rice vinegar, sesame oil, and lime juice. Stick in the fridge.

2. In another bowl, mix together the hoisin sauce, orange juice, and honey. Season the salmon fillets with S&P.

3. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Place the salmon fillets on it. Drizzle both with 1/2 the hoisin/OJ mixture. Place in the broiler. Cook for 10 minutes. Halfway through, drizzle the remaining 1/2 of the hoisin mixture on the salmon to ensure they don't dry out.

4. While the fish is in the broiler, toss the slaw and bell peppers in with the vinegar/sesame oil mixture. Garnish with green onions.

5. Serve with a scoop of brown rice. Yum!

Bamboo in Dedham

Whenever I go home to the suburbs, my family and I always end up heading to Bamboo, an Asian restaurant in the Holiday Inn near the old Dedham movie theatre. They go there quite often, enough that they even have their favorite waitress they see enough that we all hug when we get there.

So you'd think they'd be the ones dragging me there when I come home-- but it's actually the opposite! I am obsessed with this elegant restaurant. Most of the time, restaurants that offer both Chinese and Japanese food fall short on both, but not Bamboo.

Everything I've had there, from the shumai to the edamame, spicy tuna roll to their famous crispy Beijing duck, has been delicious.

One of my favorite items I've had recently there was a special, recommended by Yandi (our stellar waitress)-- a tuna sashimi roll, wrapped in rice paper with a yummy sauce. Light, refreshing, and fresh.

If you're in the suburbs, you can't go wrong with Bamboo. Great for a sushi fix, with a side of Chinese dumplings ;)

Seiyo review - South End

It was a Wednesday, and I had a wicked craving for sushi. I wanted to just stop by old-favorite Symphony Sushi (I’m addicted), but Z insisted that we try somewhere new. I knew, as Dish Gal, that this was the correct decision.

We decided on Seiyo, a sushi and wine bar in the South End on Washington Street, across the street from Toro. The restaurant has very striking and elegant decor, with dark wood and a zig-zag bar along the window that allows for communal-yet-intimate dining.

I started with a bowl of steaming miso soup ($2.50), which was delicious, but excruciatingly annoying to eat with the teeny-tiny spoon that accompanies it. I usually love slurping up miso soup. By the time I finished this, it was cold and pretty un-appetizing…Speaking of utensils, they also have metal chopsticks. Takes a second to get used to them! But design-wise, they are very cool.

We intended to share the salmon tataki with ponzu sauce ($7.50), but it was a little too rare/fishy-tasting for me. I have a history of ordering something, and then wondering, “Why did I get this? I know I don’t really love rare salmon.” But Z seemed to enjoy it.

For our sushi rolls, I chose much more conservatively, with two of my favorites – spicy tuna maki and caterpillar maki (eel wrapped with avocado). They were both delicious, though the spicy tuna roll was a little sad-looking and lopsided. Sorry for the terrible photo quality..If I wasn’t such a poor/frugal person, I would’ve loved to have tried the Kobe shortrib maki ($16.99) -- seared Kobe short rib wrapped over Jonah crabmeat, jalapeño asparagus, teriyaki chile garlic miso sauce, and shaved bonito. Wowza! That looks awesome.

All in all, Seiyo is definitely a hiddem gem. I think this would be a great date spot if you’re in the mood for sushi and trying to impress without spending a ton of money. It’s reasonably priced, and the atmosphere of the dark wine room is great. However, if it’s a quick weeknight meal to be enjoyed on my couch that I'm planning, I’ll probably stick with old-favorite Symphony Sushi. . .

Haru in the Prudential Center

Eating at a restaurant under nerve-wracking circumstances is difficult when it comes to judging the food itself. A first date is filled with thoughts of, "Is there spinach in my teeth?" or "I hope these onions don't make me gassy!", rather than what a restaurant experience should make you think--"How can I make this spinach at home?" or "This onion soup is extraordinary!"

Example A: For Dish Gal's first "date" with Z, we started out at Starbucks, closed down the place, and then walked over to the Coolidge Corner Clubhouse and split a sandwich. I think it was turkey?? I can't remember the food, but I can remember the butterflies in my stomach and the text I sent to my roommate when he went to the bathroom. For our second date, we went to Casablanca in Cambridge. What a great spot chosen by my SO, but my nerves were going crazy, so all I remember was picking at my food and pushing it around the plate.

Example B was a Christmas lunch at Haru with coworkers. I hadn't worked at my current job for too long, and I was still in that initial phase where I was focused on keeping up appearances. The one thing I remember was that I put an entire dumpling into my mouth, and it was so hot that it made my eyes water and burnt my whole mouth. I finally had to spit it out into my napkin. Real nice, right!? Sooo awkward!

In any case, Dish Gal headed back to this sushi chain with Z for a Friday night early dinner, and this time, I was paying attention (and waiting for the dumplings to cool down!).

It was empty when we arrived, but I was surprised how this serene restaurant was quite romantic at night. Very low lighting set the mood.

We decided to venture out from our ordinary sushi picks by choosing edamame dumplings with mushrooms to start. This was...interesting. Pretty weird mushy texture, and the flavors did not mesh well together. I guess sometimes strange flavor combinations just turn out to be, well, strange..
Next we split their house salad-- which was huge and had nice, dark, leafy lettuce, a change from the usual, glaringly-white iceberg in most Japanese restaurants.
We also shared three sushi rolls. The super dynamite roll ($13), which had tempura-style tuna, freshwater eel, and asparagus with sriracha, spicy mayo and eel sauces, was very flavorful. I had wished it would have been spicier, but it tasted good nonetheless, and was my favorite of the evening.

The Philadelphia roll was your standard, slightly-boring philly roll-- no tricks up Haru's sleeves there. And the spicy crunchy salmon roll was not really all that crunchy-- or spicy.

All in all, its clear that at Haru, you're definitely paying for the atmosphere. If you want decent sushi, you could head to your neighborhood joint. But if you want decent sushi in a sleek and stylish, romantic setting, Haru could be for you.

Jamie's birthday celebration

As I mentioned, Jamie greyhound bussed it up to Beantown this weekend from NYC, and since her birthday is next weekend, the gals decided to celebrate a bit early!

We started on Saturday night at Myers + Chang, as our gal Jamie enjoys Asian food, and the tapas and upbeat atmosphere is great for a birthday/large group (see: College foodies entry). We arrived at 9 p.m., and I was surprised to see that the restaurant was not even full. Z and I had visited on a weeknight and it was bustling more than it was on this weekend night. Maybe the economy really is taking a toll?

We ordered some of the things I had eaten before, just because they were so yummy I couldn't resist. However, I found that the old rule-- amateurs dine out on weekends-- was true this instance, as the food was not as excellent as it was the first time I went. With no Joanne in the kitchen, were the cooks asleep at the wheel? Don't get me wrong-- it was still all yummy-- just didn't have that added "wow" factor as the first time.

After dinner, we walked down the street to Banq for drinks and desserts. We were seated at one of those large banquettes, and ordered cocktails and the pumpkin chocolate cheesecake with profiteroles. We were all stuffed from the dinner, but wanted something for this celebratory occasion. Our waiter insisted we order two of them, as it was so tiny. Wait a minute, Dish Gal had heard this before! This was the exact complaint I had about my first dining experience at Banq-- that the servers push getting more than you want. And it was happening again. Was this some sort of sales method that managers push on them? I was so confused. We resisted ordering two, but agreed to add on a side of coconut ice cream with basil seeds.

The cheesecake turned out to be very tasty indeed, though the mini-profiteroles lacked any insides to them (no ice cream or cream, just a hollow puff pastry, sort of strange). They included a cute birthday message which was fun though:

And for the record, for four girls trying not to stuff themselves before a night out, this was plenty!

Snappy Sushi

Last night I decided to try Snappy Sushi (formerly Shino Express) in Davis Square. My first impression: the name is silly. It makes it sound like some bad chain restaurant that would have a cute little mascot.

My second thought when I walked in was that I really don't like communal round tables. I can kind of handle communal long tables, like the ones at Wagamama, but round tables are so awkward. You're staring across at a total stranger while trying to concentrate on the conversation you're having to your right or left. I think a lot of the fun of a restaurant is that when you're at your table, you're in your own little world, and you can almost pretend you and whoever you're with are the only ones dining.

However, my lack of enthusiasm for the name and dislike of the configuration of tables waned when I read through the inventive menu, filled with the odd foods Shino was famous for. Example: a portobello mushroom maki? Roasted red peppers with eel? It was all very intriguing.

Snappy Sushi, besides its inventive rolls, differentiates itself from the pack by using brown rice, white rice's healthy cousin. I was a bit hesitant about this, but it turns out that I really enjoyed it!

I opted for an old classic, a spicy tuna roll ($4.95), and tried a new one, the crispy eel maki ($7.95). The latter was eel, avocado, cucumber, and flying fish roe topped with crunchy tempura bits and eel sauce. I discovered when I opened my take-out bag that it wasn't just topped in tempura flakes, it was smothered in them. You couldn't even distinguish individual pieces of sushi. The eel sauce and some unidentified creaminess (mayo?) made these crispy flakes into a mushy mess.

The spicy tuna roll was uninspiring due mostly to the fact that it wasn't spicy! The tuna tasted nice and fresh, but I could not detect any heat from it, and had to pile on the wasabi.

I can't be definitive about Snappy Sushi since I only tried these two rolls, but I don't think I'll be heading back anytime soon. Though I think other sushi places should follow suit with the brown rice option...

Myers + Chang = AMAZING

I'm very behind in blog posts (still need to write about Out of the Blue in Davis Square, dinner at Ruth's Chris, AND a veggie burger recipe!) but I had to skip ahead to write about the phenomenal experience I had last night at Myers + Chang.

I've been wanting to try this restaurant for so long, but the timing has never been right. Finally, last night the planets aligned though, as Z and I finally had the chance to head over to this much-talked-about South End restaurant.

Usually I recap the evening in chronological order, talking about the decor and the scene, etc, but for this restaurant I can't even wait to start writing about the food, so I'm skipping right to that. The food is designed to be shared, which is great, considering I wanted everything on the menu and would've ended up reaching across the table to steal some of Z's food anyway. We started with the edamame and celery slaw ($4) which I insisted on because I had heard good things. I could tell Z was a bit hesitant (celery is not the most exciting vegetable out there), but as soon as we took our first bites we were sold. It was SO refreshing-- the sesame oil and lemon dressing was like nothing I've ever tasted. So crisp and fresh.

Next up was the "tiger's tears" ($10)-- grilled skirt steak with thai basil, lime, and khao koor. The waitress had recommended this dish "if you like spicy food", which of course I'm obsessed with these days, so we had to try it. It came in a big pile of beautiful red and yellow gleaming bell peppers, thinly sliced skirt steak, and big leaves of mint and cilantro. Skirt steak often is too chewy if cooked improperly, and you're left awkwardly chewing for ten minutes or attempting to bite it in half with your teeth. However, this skirt steak melted in your mouth, and its softness complemented the hard and super-crunchy khao koor. (I just did a google search of khao koor, and apparently it's roasted rice. All I know is it kind of has the texture of finely ground bacon bits-- not the flavor though, of course). At first this dish was spicy, but then when I hit a hot pepper it was SUPER spicy! Thank god the waitress brought over some extra water, because I could feel the heat spread down my arms, and my lips were on FIRE. Z said I was even turning kind of red. But it was so good, I just had to delve right back in, ignore my body's reaction, and enjoy the firey flavors.

Following this up would be a challenge, I thought. Nothing could match this. However, our next dish was also ridiculously delicious, except it had such a different flavor profile it did not compete with the tiger's tears, but rather complemented it. After the spicy tigers tears, the soft and pillowy braised pork belly buns ($8) soothed my mouth and delighted my senses with sweet brandied hoisin sauce and pickled watermelon relish. I had never had pork belly before, but it was so soft and squishy.

Finally, our last dish arrived-- mama chang's pork and chive dumplings($11). These were the most traditional Chinese dish that we ate all night, but you could tell they were made with love. Usually dumplings can be a turn-off with their thick and doughy casing, but these were delicate, supple, and piping hot.

Z was still hungry after all this (they are fairly small portions) so he ordered the wok-charred udon noodles ($11) with oyster sauce, baby bok choy, and chicken. Of course I pilfered some of this. However, this dish was my least favorite. As Z very astutely pointed out, this had that usual Chinese food greasiness that was definitely not in the other dishes. It also seemed lacking in seasoning. HOWEVER, I'm very glad we ordered this as Joanne Chang herself brought the noodles to our table! I was so star-struck, I could barely muster a thank you, I just goofily smiled. I'm a foodie dork.

At the end of the meal, the waitress brought over a complimentary lemon and candied ginger custard that was light and fluffy and the perfect end to a nearly perfect meal.

A few words about ambiance: The restaurant is really eclectic in its decor-- a hot pink stencil lines the windows; mirrored-walls have cheeky sayings scrawled across them like, "Man who has one chopstick goes hungry. Woman who has one chopstick use fingers"; and placemats are Asian newspapers (actual newspaper). As I've mentioned, I love restaurants where the longer you look around, the more tiny details you notice-- like the iPod mounted in the wall that pumps the rock music into the restaurant. You can tell a restaurant is truly a labor of love with the details.

As you can see from my blabbing on and on about this restaurant, I had a fantastic time. ONE word of caution though: there is definitely a lot of sodium in the food, as when I got home I had the largest salt bloat I'd ever seen. It honestly looked like I was with child.

BUT in the morning that was gone, and in its place are the memories of pork belly, tiger's tears, and edamame dancing in my head.

Take Out Madness

Things have been a bit crazy in Dish Gal's world lately. I was out of Boston this past weekend at a wedding in Philly, and returned very late Sunday night. Then, I've had an event for work every single night this week. Thus, I have not had the time (or energy) to cook or grocery shop at all... which led to The Week of Take-Out Food... Hopefully you can learn a thing or two from my mistakes (and my good choices).

Monday night I left the event and trekked home, feeling fairly confident that I'd be able to pull something together from my pantry. I was wrong. I ended up making some Easy-Mac, which, note to self, is only good at 3 a.m. post-a night of fun; perhaps the lack of clear thinking makes me forget that I'm eating something that turns powder into cheese.

Tuesday night I stopped at Taipei Tokyo in Davis after event #2. I got one single sushi roll (spicy tuna) and had them add tempura flakes (at the suggestion of "Penelope", Sebastian's friend/TV & movie star/sushi enthusiast). Taipei Tokyo is a stop I often make in Davis--not as much because of the quality of the food, but more because of its proximity to the T stop. I've never had a bad meal there, but never had a great one either... I took it home and ate it on my bed (even though OmGal calls that bad feng shui-- I call it comfortable) but sadly spilled soy sauce on my sheets (ugh! should have known better).

Wednesday night's late night event left me famished (and anxious to get back for the Top Chef finale-- otherwise known as the most ridiculous judges' panel of all time). Skylar brilliantly suggested getting Wagamama, and I devoured my ginger chicken udon, thick, slippery noodles with fragrant ginger and garnished with pickled red ginger. However, my "favorite dish award" for my crew had to have been "Jamie's" ("Jamie" is making her Dish This debut!) chilli beef ramen, a spicy soup with cilantro, fresh chillies, and lime.

Thursday night, after nearly falling asleep on the red line, I stumbled off at Davis around 9 pm and wandered over to Diesel Cafe. Part cafe/part pool hall/part late night hang out, I love how Diesel doesn't really make sense except if you've experienced it. Sebastian is probably more of a fan than I am (I'm a die-hard Dave's Fresh Pasta girl when it comes to sandwiches) but sadly Dave's stops making sandwiches at the wee-hour of 7 pm. So to Diesel I went, where tired-me (I know, call the waambulance) felt very welcomed by the convivial and unpretentious employees, who didn't even balk when I tried to change around the sandwich a bit. I got the "monkey wrench" which is (usually) a baguette with turkey, avocado, havarti dill spread, tomato, and sprouts. I nixed the dill spread and changed the bread to wheat (trying to pretend to be healthy). It was very satisfying and was a nice late-night meal (not too heavy, but satisfying).

Anyway, thank GOD this week is over. Looking back, I've definitely learned some lessons from it all :

1) Easy-mac should only be eaten when inebriated...
2) Soy sauce should be kept far away from the bed or even a sofa...
3) Wagamama is always a good call...
4) Dave's Fresh Pasta should make sandwiches 24 hours.

Viet Grill= The Dream Cafe (Seinfeld reference anyone?)

Last weekend I headed home to Canton to visit the parents and to do about 8 loads of laundry. Young, financially-strapped people like me know the joy of this type of trip: the chance to get some home-cooking, raid (stocked!) cabinets, or at least be taken out to a restaurant where the bill is footed (God bless parents!). But this weekend I was shocked to learn my parents actually had plans! Off they headed to "Banned in Boston" as I was left to fend for myself.

As I drove through Canton Center (which was HOPPING on a Saturday night...and by "hopping" I mean I didn't see one person), I spied a Vietnamese restaurant,"Viet Grill". Hmm-- Vietnamese food in Canton!? I had to try it.

When I walked in around 9 p.m. it was empty. The decor was nothing to speak of- it was more like a dentist's office than a restaurant, with unadorned tables and bright lights. The walls had articles from the Boston Globe though, which was encouraging. I was greeted by the most adorable older Asian man, who took my order (fresh rolls & a Vietnamese salad).

As I sat and waited for my order in the silent restaurant (literally, silent), the Seinfeld-esque-ness of the situation dawned on me: the empty restaurant, the adorable and enthusiastic single employee in the restaurant-- I was in the Canton version of the Dream Cafe, with the Vietnamese Babu Bhatt.

The man emerged from the back with my two items and a steamed rice. The total was under $10 (I could really get used to the burbs!). The best part of the whole experience came at the end though...as I was exiting he told me, "You look like a movie star! You are beautiful" in the most sincere, cute, and Babu Bhatt way. Boy was he going to get a rave review on this site!

When I got home I settled into the couch and ate straight out of the takeout containers. Dish Gal really enjoyed the crunchy and tangy cabbage and carrot salad with peanuts, and dunked each fresh roll with glee into the yummy peanut sauce.

All in all, a "dreamy" experience.

The Quest for Good Sushi

Boston (proper) has a major sushi problem.

There are, of course, the favorites out there: old-favorite Oishii, new-favorite SushiTeq, extravagant foodie-favorite O- Ya, and chain-favorite Haru. But this leaves one major problem for Dish Gal: I can’t afford any of these on a regular basis!

Sure, I’ve named some pricey restaurants I’ve eaten at recently (Harvest, Capital Grille, etc.)… but these are all once in awhile type meals. Dish Gal has cravings for sushi approximately every 5 days. But there is such a shortage of places to go that are both yummy and reasonably priced.

When I used to live in the alcohol-coated, asphalt wasteland that is the intersection of Comm. Ave and Harvard Ave., I was spoiled by walking distance to Takeshima (RIP), Mr. Sushi, and Fugakyu that were all located in Coolidge Corner. But now that I’m in (my beloved) Davis Square, Tapei Tokyo just isn’t cutting it for me…

Last Saturday I had hope when I read about a good yet reasonably priced sushi place next to the State House and Mooo… called Zen Sushi. When I walked in, the atmosphere was nothing to write home about – odd smoke machines and the familiar uncomfortable wooden chairs at tiny tables, and a small sushi bar.

But I was still hopeful. We ordered three sushi rolls—one was a spicy tuna roll with a twist (the twist being the tempura flakes and spicy mayo were inside the maki, and the tuna was on the outside) for $13.95, a sweet potato tempura maki ($4.95), and an unagi maki (I always picture Ross from Friends now when I order this) for approximately $6.

The “special” tuna maki wasn’t very special; I decided I prefer my tuna to be in the inside, although the tuna itself tasted very fresh. The sweet potato one was less dense than others, and thus had less of a sweet potato taste and more of a rice taste. The unagi was pretty standard- yummy, but not outstanding.

All in all, I don’t regret going, because it did (somewhat) satisfy my sushi craving and was reasonably priced, as promised. But Dish Gal’s quest for the impossible—a yummy sushi place in Boston that doesn’t break the bank—goes on….

Please feel free to leave any suggestions!